England's World Cup round of 16 clash with Mexico has been delayed after severe thunderstorms forced officials to suspend access to the pitch at the Azteca Stadium mere hours before kick-off. Thunder, lightning and heavy rainfall battered Mexico City roughly three hours prior to the scheduled start, activating the venue's electrical storm safety procedures.
Safety protocols triggered
Under these protocols, nobody is allowed onto the playing surface while the storm continues, with journalists told to stay inside the stadium's media centre until conditions ease. It has now been announced that kick-off has been pushed back to 2am on Monday, July 6 in the UK.
FIFA released a statement saying: "Due to adverse weather conditions in Mexico City, including risk caused by lightning in the vicinity of the stadium, the kick-off of the World Cup 2026 round of 16 match between Mexico and England has been delayed to 19.00 local time (21:00 EDT). The safety and security of all individuals is Fifa's priority. We thank all fans for their understanding and cooperation."
Teams advised to delay travel
Some reports suggested prior to kick-off that both the Mexican and England teams had been "told NOT to travel to the Azteca Stadium right now because of the storm protocols". Sky News correspondent Rob Dorsett indicated that the move by FIFA "will almost certainly mean a delayed kick off". Nevertheless, that hasn't dampened the enthusiasm of the Three Lions, who have turned up regardless. Dorsett continued his live updates on social media from Mexico City, posting: "Just seen more lightning as we entered the Aztec Stadium."
Fans and press shelter from storm
Spectators already within the ground have reported the thunder as overwhelming, with booming claps reverberating throughout the arena. Members of the press stationed in media areas have been advised to stay sheltered until the tempest subsides. BBC weather expert Tomasz Schafernaker explained: "Thunderstorms and shower clouds have been developing around Mexico City in the last few hours."
"On social media there are reports of downpours affecting parts of the city, however it is difficult to verify if lightning has been occurring close to the football ground itself. The showers are likely to continue to grow, threatening disruption."
Weather concerns linger
"All eyes on the horizon and fingers crossed the storms stay well away, but it's a close call. Any storms are likely to linger for hours." The severe weather follows a similar incident during Mexico's round-of-32 victory over Ecuador at the same stadium, when kick-off was delayed by an hour because of storms.
Plans had been floated earlier in the week to reschedule Sunday's match to midday local time due to predictions of harsh conditions arriving later. Nevertheless, both England and Mexico turned down the proposal. The Football Association is believed to have resisted the proposal owing to the chaos it would have caused for England supporters' travel plans, while the Mexican Football Federation likewise raised objections to the alteration.
FIFA eventually decided to stick with the original kick-off time, although the recent intense thunderstorms mean the timing of the fixture continues to depend on the prevailing weather conditions in Mexico City.
